1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool for installing beads on fibers, and more particularly for installing beads having a throughbore onto the hair of a person for aesthetic purposes. The tool comprises a shaft for storing beads, and a loop for engaging the hair.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Adornment of people's hair has taken many forms, and one of these is a hair styling practice in which beads are slipped over strands of hair. The beads are typically annular in configuration, but may be any configuration provided there is a bore through the bead through which the hair strand is inserted.
Beads have been placed in people's hair by all sorts of methods, including manually and by a cumbersome process employing needle and thread. An implement which is generally intended to replace needle and thread is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,908, issued to Honora A. Donaldson on Dec. 29, 1981. The tool includes a tubular handle having two loops projecting therefrom, one resilient closed loop at each end.
Only one resilient closed loop is actually employed in installing beads, the other serving as a stop preventing the beads from slipping from the handle. A bead or several beads are placed over the handle and stored thereon after compressing a resilient closed loop. A strand of braided hair is then passed through a loop. The handle is pulled away from the strand of hair, which strand is thereby drawn so as to pass through the opening of the bead or beads. The bead or beads now encircle the strand of hair. If desired, the operation may be repeated to install additional beads on the strand.
The Donaldson invention departs from that of the present invention in both structure and method of use. By contrast with the Donaldson apparatus, wherein a loop is manually compressed in order to slip a supply of beads onto the handle, the present invention requires no such manipulation. In the present invention, a handle frictionally disengages from a rod or shaft which passes through stored beads, so that beads may be loaded onto the rod or shaft. After loading, the handle is reinstalled, and serves to retain the beads on the tool.
Neither the above invention and patent, nor other patents and inventions of the prior art, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.